Did you ever have any issues walking to/from school? Have your kids?

[Anonymous]

In the 1990’s I spent a couple of years commuting by walk, Metro, and Metrobus from Eastern Market to upper NW. There were lots of other commuters out with me in the morning, including school kids with me on the bus. In the evenings, schedules differed depending on extracurriculars. I had a set path I was supposed to walk home and a time I was expected back. I never experienced a single problem.

[Anonymous]

PP here: It just occurred to me that I had much bigger issues jogging as a teen in the suburbs. There were fewer people around. On several occasions I was followed slowly by men in vehicles who catcalled. My time commuting in the city felt much more comfortable b/c there were more eyes on the street.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t walk to school but my kids do. They have to cross a very busy road. There’s a crossing guard but she stays 10 mins, which isn’t enough time. People have complained to the school but are told it’s the county who controls that. If there is no crossing guard, cars don’t necessarily stop for kids cross at the crosswalk and I’ve seen cars behind get impatient, I guess not realizing why cars ahead have stopped, and they try to zoom around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS stepped on a crack. It broke my DW’s back.

I love you.

[Anonymous]

I started catching the metro to school back in second grade (1989). It was a little scary at first. There used to be a PSA where a kid jumped over fences and ran through alleys to avoid the drug dealers on the corner. That was basically my life. I couldn't go to my neighborhood school because it was too bad, but getting home in the evenings meant avoiding the older guys from the rival neighborhoods along the way. No one was out in the mornings, so it was fine. Aside from asking for change, the homeless people and drug addicts didn't bother you. But in the evenings, I ran for dear life until I got to my street. I got jumped twice in third grade by some 14 year olds. In middle school, a group of grown men beat me up at the bus stop for my jacket.

[Anonymous]

The parent walking in front of me in Friday came inches away from getting hit by a car in front of the school. Parent was in the crosswalk and a driver who had an obstructed view of half of the sidewalk went ahead and drove. For some reason we have not had a crossing guard this year, although in previous years I have seen plenty of drivers fail to yield to the guard-so cars are my big fear related to walking to school.